Replaceable ink cartridges employing a continuous loop of inked tape or Mylar ribbon for use with high speed impact printers are known in the art. Typically, a cubically-shaped wire form or a plurality of guides are used to effect a Moebius twist in the continuous loop.
The invention includes an improved Moebius loop device and tensioner in the form of an easily constructed planar triangular-shaped device to effect a Moebius twist and tensioning in a continuous loop. Spring biasing means in combination with the device provides selective tensioning of the continuous loop. A portion of the loop is disposed about a first edge surface of the triangular guide, then about a second edge surface, and then about a third.
The cartridge includes a reservoir coupled to an input port and an output port. A continuous tape is disposed within the reservoir, through the output port, from the output port to the input port, and through the input port to the reservoir. The Moebius device is disposed within the output port to provide increased tension within the portion of the loop disposed between the output port and the input port. The reservoir has nonparallel guides which separate in the direction of tape travel through the reservoir to facilitate tape throughput.